Supreme Court Ruling Imminent; Trump Has a ‘Plan B’ for Tariffs Ready
President Donald Trump’s administration is already preparing contingency plans to preserve its tariff regime should the U.S. Supreme Court rule against the current measures, signaling that the White House has no intention of backing away from its America First trade agenda.
According to a report from the Financial Times, the Trump administration is prepared to invoke alternative statutes and existing trade authorities to reinstate tariffs even if the Court invalidates the current framework. Diplomats and trade lawyers familiar with the internal deliberations told the outlet that multiple legal pathways are already mapped out.
The precise strategy, the report noted, will hinge on the Court’s reasoning—particularly if the justices determine that the administration improperly relied on emergency powers to impose the tariffs.
As the 2026 midterm elections draw closer, debate is intensifying over President Trump’s proposal to issue $2,000 tariff-funded stimulus checks. Trump has said the rebates would be delivered to low- and middle-income Americans in mid-to-late 2026, financed through revenue generated by his broad import tariffs.
Several hurdles remain, however. These include the pending Supreme Court case that will determine the legality of the tariffs, questions about whether tariff revenue alone could sustain large-scale payments, and the requirement for congressional approval, according to reports this week.
While Trump has publicly floated the idea since July, implementation is far from guaranteed. Some Republicans have raised concerns about the proposal’s feasibility and its chances of clearing Congress.
Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno is among those urging caution, arguing that tariff revenue would be better used to pay down the nation’s roughly $38 trillion debt rather than fund rebate checks.
Administration officials have offered differing perspectives on the proposal. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested an income cap of $100,000 for eligibility, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has defended the concept as a way to return trade gains directly to American families.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett recently acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the plan’s future. Appearing on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Hassett said the proposal’s fate “depends on what happens with Congress.”
Bessent has likewise emphasized that any rebate plan would require legislative approval and reiterated the administration’s focus on fiscal responsibility.
“We will see. We need legislation for that,” Bessent told Fox News.
Questions about broader tariff dividends intensified after Trump announced that U.S. service members would receive a “Warrior Dividend” for Christmas. At the time, Trump said the dividend would go to “everyone” except high-income earners. Days later, on November 12, Bessent clarified that payments would be limited to families earning $100,000 or less.
Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance has acknowledged growing public skepticism about the administration’s economic record, urging patience as Trump’s policies continue to take effect. Vance predicted that an eventual “economic boom” is on the horizon but warned that recovery after years of inflation under former President Joe Biden would take time.
“We get it, and we hear you, and we know that there’s a lot of work to do,” Vance said during a Breitbart News event. “As much progress as we’ve made, it’s going to take a little time for Americans to feel that.”
The comments underscore the White House’s ongoing effort to sharpen its economic messaging ahead of the midterms, particularly following Republican losses in deep-blue New Jersey and Virginia earlier this month.
Vance conceded that many Americans remain frustrated by lingering affordability issues—especially grocery prices—that continue to weigh on the administration’s approval ratings.
“If you’re an American who’s just struggling to get by, you work hard, you pay your taxes, and you want your kids to have good opportunities. And then the price of eggs goes from $2 a dozen to $8 a dozen under the Biden administration, and then it goes from $8 a dozen to maybe $6.50 a dozen,” Vance said. “Well, to you, that is still a major problem.”
Still, the administration appears determined to stay the course—defending its tariffs in court, preparing alternatives if necessary, and positioning its economic vision as a long-term correction to years of mismanagement.